Farmed shrimp is nation?s #1 export
It does not involve thousands of farmers like the sugar industry, support two processing factories like the citrus industry, or cover the vast acreage of the banana industry. But when it comes to earning money for Belize the growing of shrimp has surpassed them all. With almost ninety-three million dollars in earnings last year, shrimp farming has vaulted into first place on the list of our agriculture exports. And while most Belizeans have never seen a shrimp pond, dozens of international experts are now gathered in Belize City to see just what the future holds for this important economic activity. News 5’s Janelle Chanona reports.
Michael Dunker, President, Belize Shrimp Association
?In the days when prices were very good we didn?t really know how to grow shrimp the way we know how to grow it today. Now that we have gotten to the point where we are as good as anybody else in the world at growing shrimp, the prices have gone down quite a bit and that why we are working so hard to bring those production costs down so that we can compete with countries from the far east.?
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
According to industry insiders, the business of growing shrimp in Belize is at a critical juncture: fighting off diseases, high production costs and low prices while maintaining quality, efficiency and output.
The country?s first shrimp farm was established in 1985, but the industry quickly found its niche in what is known as intensive shrimp culture. Today there are fifteen medium sized farms spread across Belize, mostly in the southern coastal savannahs.
In the early years, the tiny crustacean would haul in as much as five U.S. dollars a pound. But since then, prices have dropped to less than half that number. According to President of the Belize Shrimp Association, Michael Dunker, that reality has pushed investors towards efficiency in the form of the latest in technology and farming practices.
Michael Dunker
?We have much higher labour costs than most other places that grow shrimp in the world. Our feed costs are not the lowest and we have in general low production cost–I think–when it comes to type of management that we have on the farm. Hopefully, we?ll be able to raise more shrimp per acre, per year bring those costs down.?
Even though Belize initially experimented with several species, most farmers grow Pacific White Shrimp because they herd well and have a better at resistance to diseases. The resulting success story has opened doors in markets across the world.
Michael Dunker
?We sell about ninety-five percent of our shrimp into the United States. We sell the other five percent into Mexico as fresh shrimp. We have a window when it gets too cold in Mexico and they cannot grow farm raised shrimp because of the climate and we have that opportunity to deliver into market, fresh head on shrimp. We hope to go to Europe shortly and the Belize Agricultural Health Authority is working very hard with us on this.?
While shrimp farming manuals written three thousand years ago in China are still being used today, ?shrimping? has gotten far more sophisticated. This week, the first International Intensive Shrimp Culture Symposium is being hosted in Belize to highlight some of those techniques and products on the market.
Rod McNeil, Meridian Aquatic Technologies
?A product called Aquamats, which is an artificial substrate. It?s meant to mimic sea grass or mangrove roots. So what we are trying to do is now simulate the natural environment in a pond to increase the productivity of the pond?s area and increase yields.?
Rod McNeil represents Meridian Aquatic Technology and says re-engineering the mechanics of the pond will lessen the negative impacts on the environment.
Rod McNeil
“You can grow shrimp badly and harm the environment. There is no question of that. It is still done badly in much of the world. But we now have the technology to do shrimp farming in a non-harmful way to the environment and I?m first and foremost an ecologist; I?m an Aquatic Ecologist and the last thing I want to see happen is anything happen to your marine environment here. It?s pristine; you want to keep it that way for its tourism value. I believe you can have the shrimp industry here in a big way on a much smaller footprint because we can grow five to ten times more shrimp now in he same area and not have any discharge.?
Alvin Henderson, Belize Shrimp Association
?We have experts in pathology; renowned experts in intensive culture; renowned experts. It?s good for Belize. It?s going challenge our ways of doing things; not that it?s new ground for us and we?ve seen this type of real substantial investment in intensive culture from Belize aqua culture limited. But there is a need for us to look and see how the other farms can perhaps adapt some of that technology to improve competitiveness over time.?
But as with any agricultural product, experts caution investors to remember that while their product is lucrative, it is also vulnerable.
Alvin Henderson
?There are challenges and with any commodity–I?ve been around these industries and I?ve seen citrus, I?ve been around bananas. Once you get into this mature commodity profile where supply outstrips demand. Would I discourage people from getting into the industry? Of course not; I mean there are always abilities but of course you have to be cognizant to the fact that at the end of the day you are dealing with a commodity and you are always uncertainties with commodity investments. It?s just the reality of doing business.?
Janelle Chanona reporting for Channel 5.
The seminar ends on Friday, with some delegates staying for an optional programme on Saturday.
